Careless Whisper

Disclaimer: These are not my characters, and I hope no one minds that I have chosen to use them in this work of fiction.

Spoilers: Bloodlines

Synopsis: Grissom takes Sara home. The song Careless Whisper was written by Andrew Ridgely and George Michael.

I feel so unsure,
As I take your hand,
And lead you to the dance floor.
As the music dies,
Something in your eyes,
Calls to mind the silver screen,
Dark and sad goodbyes.

She couldn't bear to look at him and see the disappointment in those blue eyes that she treaured so much.

All she could do was look down at the floor and be grateful he wasn't telling her how stupid and unthinking

she had been. She didn't need to hear the words as she was to busy beating herself up over what she had become.

'He may have taken hold of my hand,' Sara thought, 'but, it's nothing more than a friend here to help me, and I do still want him as a friend.' The realization, even though alcohol induced, that she was the one that had caused the rift in their friendship, and she needed to repair the damage, starting with her sobriety.

"Let's go," Grissom said as he rose, still holding on to her hand, she followed him grateful for his strength.

Out at his SUV he made sure she was safely in the passenger seat all the while he was thinking how lucky she was for all this could be so much worse. He didn't want to say the wrong thing as he could see the battle raging on her face. Maybe after he got her safely home he would see if they could be just friends again, and if he could find a way to help her be Sara again. But first he had to get her home.

The ride to her apartment was silent. Sara stared out the window not wanting to look at Grissom. He drove searching for the right words to tell her he still wanted to be her friend, hoping when he knew what to say, it all came out right.

She reached over and turned on the stereo, the words that were coming out of the speakers hit her hard, she could feel the tears welling up in her eyes.

Time can never mend,
The careless whispers on a good friend,
To the heart and mind,
Ignorance is kind,
There's no comfort in the truth,Pain is the heart you'll find.

"My God Grissom," she started trying desperately not to fall completely apart, "I've ruined our friendship, haven't I?" A lone tear escaped from the corner of her eye.

He pulled into her parking space and cut the engine. "No, I still hope we can go back to being friends," he repiled looking over at her with caring and concerned eyes, like that of a brother or a father. "I think you want more from me than I feel. I just want to be us again, friends."

"I'm so sorry, but, I can't help how I feel about you. I would like us to be friends again," Sara was ready to put her feelings aside and be friends like they were before. "Come in and have some coffee and we can talk this out."

"OK, coffee and talk. Just friends," he said getting out of the Denali. He opened the vehicle door for her and they made their way to her apartment.

Once inside he put on the music that was playing on the drive home.

I'm never gonna dance again,
Guilty feet have got no rthythm,
Though it's easy to pretend,
I know you're not a fool,
Should've known better,
Than to cheat a friend,
And waste the chance that I've been given,
So I'm never gonna dance again,
The way I danced with you.

She set about fixing them some coffee.

He sat at her kitchen counter and watched her, wondering, if they could get back the friendship they once had.

Tonight the music seems so loud,
I wish that we could lose this crowd,
Maybe it's better this way,
We'd hurt each other,
With the things we want to say.
We could have been so good together,
We could have made this last forever,
But now who's gonna dance with me,
Please stay.....

With the lyrics of the song swimming in her head, Sara mustered her courage, along with the remaining effects of the alcohol in her system, she turned to face Grissom. Setting the coffee cups in front of them she started the conversation before she lost her nerve. "You might as well know, if you haven't already fiqured this out by now, I love you." 'There that's out,' she thought to herself, taking a long sip of the coffee in her cup.

"Oh Sara. I'm so sorry, I just don't feel that way about you, I do care about you, but only as a good friend would," he imparted feeling very uncomfortable, this was not the conversation he wanted to have.

"I can't help the way I feel, but, I would like it if we could still be friends. I would never forgive myself if I managed to destroy our friendship," she needed to find a way to fix what she was sure she had destroyed. The coffee and the music were destroying all her courage, for when she looked into those deep blue eyes of his, her heart just melted as her tears threatened to spill again.

"Well I would like to see you smile, laugh, and joke once again, like my friend, Sara, used to do," his eyes twinkled as he gave her that half smile, that she thought she would never see again. "So, how can we fix this?"

"I think we just did, Grissom," she said placing her hand over his breifly, flashing that Sara smile. "I think we just did." She got up and started opening up cupboards and pulling out every sort of alcohol you could think of. She started to empty them down the drain and attacked the refrigerator.

He got up and helped her get rid of her demons. The worked together laughing and joking, until, every drop was gone and the containers were properly disposed of.

"Now, I don't know about you, Grissom, but, I need to get some rest for work. I have this boss who doesn't tolerate lateness," she teased as she led him to the door.

"I could talk to him," he joked back. "I'll see you at work. Are you sure you're alright? I want to be sure you're alright," the concern returned to his eyes.

"Go Grissom, I'm gonna be just fine," she told him with her smile spreading over her whole face.

He left and she watched him walk away.

She started the song again, knowing now that she still had her good friend and she would always love him. She wasn't gonna make it to work that night.....

Now that you're gone.
What could I have done so wrong,
That you had to leave me alone......

The End